📄 Witness excusal — Tuesday, August 29, 1995
Address:
C:\DEPT103\CRIMINAL\1995\AUG\29\WITNESS-EXCUSAL.DOC
TRIAL
▲ Day 144 of 167

Witness excusal

Date: Tuesday, August 29, 1995 • Utterances: 18
Judge Ito confirmed that the defense had no additional witnesses to call, then managed the logistics of excusing Laura McKinny from the courtroom before proceeding to argument. A brief moment of confusion arose over whether McKinny was being fully 'excused' or merely asked to step outside, and Clark questioned why McKinny's attorneys were allowed to remain.
1 THE COURT:

All right. Any other witnesses?

2 MR. UELMEN:

No, your Honor.

3 THE COURT:

All right. I will hear argument.

4 MS. CLARK:

Perhaps Miss McKinny should be excused from the courtroom.

KEY QUOTE
5 THE COURT:

I'm sorry?

6 MS. CLARK:

Perhaps Miss McKinny should be excused from the courtroom.

KEY QUOTE
7 THE COURT:

Yes, I have just excused her.

8 MR. COCHRAN:

Not excused.

9 MS. CLARK:

Just outside.

10 THE COURT:

Yes.

11 (Brief pause.)
12 MR. UELMEN:

Your Honor, in approaching the issues that--

13 MS. CLARK:

Excuse me, your Honor.

14 MR. UELMEN:

I'm sorry.

15 (Ms. McKinny exits the courtroom.)
16 THE COURT:

All right. Miss McKinny has withdrawn from the courtroom.

17 MS. CLARK:

Your Honor, is there any reason why her attorneys are remaining?

18 THE COURT:

It is a public hearing, counsel. Proceed.

KEY QUOTE

Temperature

procedural

Key Quotes (3)

Marcia Clark
Perhaps Miss McKinny should be excused from the courtroom.
Sets up the procedural management of McKinny's presence before argument begins on her tapes.
Johnnie Cochran
Not excused.
Quick clarification distinguishing 'excused as a witness' from 'removed from the room' — preserving McKinny's ability to return if needed.
Lance A. Ito
It is a public hearing, counsel. Proceed.
Ito shuts down Clark's implicit challenge to McKinny's attorneys remaining in the courtroom.

Notable Exchanges (1)

Marcia ClarkLance A. Ito
Clark questioned why McKinny's attorneys were allowed to stay in the courtroom; Ito dismissed the concern by noting it was a public hearing.
strategic

Witness Demeanor

(Brief pause.)
(Ms. McKinny exits the courtroom.)

Objections

None recorded
Proceeding 7469 • 18 utterances
Criminal Trial
Department 103
⚖️ Start
📂 AUG 29, 1995 📄 Witness excusal
AUG 29, 1995 KRT DvH TD